U.S. Rep. Huizenga weighs in on Syrian military intervention

U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-Zeelandnationaljournal.com

Patrick CenterAugust 29, 2013 | WGVU Some Democrats and Republicans in Congress are pushing Obama to explain why the U.S. should attack Syria and involve Americans in the country's deadly civil conflict. WGVU spoke with U.S. Representative, Bill Huizenga, who says it’s a mistake not to consult with Congress.

“They made that mistake in Libya and at the time I said if this is your criteria in Libya we should be in Syria as well. Now six to eight months later here we are, and I’m not saying that’s what we should be doing, but I can tell you that some of the most vocal critics of the administration at the time were Democrats who felt very much violated that the administration hadn’t come to them.”

The Zeeland Republican and other members of Congress say Obama has failed to make the case for U.S. military action.

Some Democrats and Republicans in Congress are pushing Obama to explain why the U.S. should attack Syria and involve Americans in the country's deadly civil conflict. WGVU spoke with U.S. Representative, Bill Huizenga, who says it’s a mistake not to consult with Congress.

3713HUIZ1 TRT= :27“They made that mistake in Libya and at the time I said if this is your criteria in Libya we should be in Syria as well. Now six to eight months later here we are, and I’m not saying that’s what we should be doing, but I can tell you that some of the most vocal critics of the administration at the time were Democrats who felt very much violated that the administration hadn’t come to them.”

The Zeeland Republican and other members of Congress say Obama has failed to make the case for U.S. military action.

“It seems to me on a diplomatic as well as a military level, if we don’t have the Arab League and other Arab nations involved in some sort of coalition, it has real or perceived the taste and the feel of another Western, some sort of a Western involvement, in an Arab country, and that’s something I think we want to avoid.”

A U.N. diplomat says Russia has called for an urgent meeting of the five permanent Security Council members on the crisis in Syria. The meeting among Russia, the United States, China, Britain and France was expected later Thursday, according to the diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity.